Martin O’Neill believes that referee Phil Dowd “bottled” a significant resolution within the 2010 League Cup last, which finally price his Aston Villa aspect from beating Manchester United.
“The League Cup last in 2010, when Aston Villa have been enjoying Manchester United , three minutes into the sport at Wembley, [Nemanja] Vidic downs [Gabriel] Agbonlahor – penalty kick,” O’Neill stated whereas talking on the Follow Soccer podcast, dropped at you by Sky Guess .
With Agbonlahor bearing down on objective and Vidic the final man for Manchester United, a purple card appeared the almost definitely end result. That, nevertheless, did not transpire, with the Serbian staying on the pitch regardless of comitting the foul. For O’Neill, there is a clear purpose as to why.
Martin O’Neill believes Phil Dowd “bottled” sending off Vidic
Vidic fouls Agbonlahor within the League Cup last (Picture credit score: Getty Pictures)
“We get a penalty and suppose the ref goes to ship him off, it’s a sending off offence, however no – the referee, Phil Dowd, not solely didn’t ship him off, however didn’t even guide him. Vidic bought booked afterward.
“I do know it’s Manchester United, it’s Sir Alex Ferguson , and it’s not a achieved deal after three minutes, however we’d have had a greater likelihood with 11 versus 10. The referee bottled it. He bottled it as a result of Alex Ferguson was the supervisor. That’s my view.”
Man United ended up lifting the trophy at Wembley (Picture credit score: Getty Pictures)
Whereas James Milner managed to place Aston Villa 1-0 up from the penalty spot within the fifth minute, Manchester United shortly hit again via Michael Owen within the twelfth. Wayne Rooney then scored the winner within the second half, ending Aston Villa’s hopes of a trophy below the Northern Irishman.
O’Neill solely stayed at Villa Park for one more six months, earlier than departing simply earlier than the beginning of the 2010/11 season. That cup last was the ultimate alternative he had has a supervisor to win a trophy, having proved so profitable at each Leicester Metropolis and Celtic earlier on his profession.
Aston Villa are nonetheless ready for a significant honour 15 years after that cup last, too, although they’ve appeared in a League Cup and FA Cup last within the intervening years.
In FourFourTwo ‘s view, Dowd ought to actually have despatched off Vidic within the opening levels of that sport, although the referee’s resolution might need rested extra on how early on it was, reasonably than the affect of Sir Alex Ferguson.
